Wipro Chairman Azim Premji is amongst Fortune magazine's list of 25 most powerful business leaders outside the United States.

Premji, 'who has turned technology company Wipro into the largest publicly traded company in the most dynamic sector of India's economy,' has been ranked 17th on the list.

According to a Fortune statement: "The survey takes a broad look at the world of big business and reveals that the business leaders who rule the global boardrooms work in countries as diverse as Switzerland and South Korea and in industries ranging from food to finance."

The list features eight leaders of Asian companies, four of which are in the top ten, with Sony's Nobuyuki Idei leading the way at number 2.

The list is topped by Britain's John Browne, CEO of BP.

"Browne is at number 1 for transforming BP into a global oil power with the purchases of Amoco in 1998 and Arco in 2000. He has also managed to become a favourite with women's groups for his hiring practices, as well as with the green lobby, giving him more clout than his peers," writes Fortune.